State visit to Vienna

Austria and Estonia continue to support Ukraine

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas is a guest of Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP).(Bild: APA/BKA/ANDY WENZEL)

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) have promised Ukraine further support in its dealings with Russia. Kallas also called on the Europeans to invest more in their defense during a visit to Vienna on Thursday evening. "In order to deter and prevent a war in Europe, we must be credible and strong," she said. The threat is real. Kallas is Nehammer's guest at the Opera Ball that evening.

At a press conference with the Estonian head of government, Nehammer emphasized that Austria clearly condemns the Russian war of aggression and is in full solidarity with Ukraine. Austria uses neutrality constructively, so that war and the seizure of land should never again be political means. As a neutral country, Austria is clearly in the minority in the EU, but nevertheless stands in full solidarity with sanctions against Russia and in support of Ukraine. Austria is focused on humanitarian aid, takes in war invalids, for example, and also provides military aid within the framework of the EU. "We will continue along this path consistently," said Nehammer.

100 years of diplomatic relations
The Federal Chancellor recalled that diplomatic relations between Austria and Estonia have existed for 100 years. While Austria had become free from Soviet occupation in 1955, the Baltic states had not been able to achieve this, which had been a "great tragedy". There had been many victims of Soviet communism in the Baltic states, Nehammer recalled.

(Bild: APA/BKA/ANDY WENZEL)

Kallas also recalled the Soviet occupation in the Baltic states and the different historical development in Austria and Estonia. Before the Second World War, Estonia had declared itself neutral. "We learned the hard way that remaining neutral is not an option with such neighbors." From then on, Estonia no longer wanted to remain without alliances and joined the EU and NATO.

Estonia believes in "Ukraine's victory"
Estonia believes in a victory for Ukraine, said Kallas. In order to make this possible, Ukraine must be supported "for as long as it takes and with as much as is needed". The so-called Ramstein coalition of Ukraine-supporting countries is many times stronger than Russia. If Ukraine's supporters supported Kiev with 0.25 percent of their economic output, "this could be the critical point". Russia must also be further isolated from international organizations, Kallas demanded. It was also time to use frozen Russian assets for the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Nehammer and Kallas also condemned the instrumentalization of migrants by Belarus and Russia at the EU's external border. "They are using this in the shadow war against us", said Kallas.

Prime Minister as a guest at the Opera Ball
The Opera Ball guest from Tallinn was looking forward to the cultural event. "Dear Karl, thank you for inviting me to Vienna," said Kallas. She was happy "to be at the center of European culture". Kallas also emphasized that Estonia wanted to expand economic relations with Austria in the areas of digital technologies and services.

"The bilateral relations between our two countries are excellent and it is precisely this excellent cooperation that we want to further strengthen and expand with today's meeting," Nehammer also emphasized in a press release. In addition to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the other major challenges in the fight against illegal migration were also topics of discussion.